Loma Linda University/UNAH Rehab Tech Graduation

I have had the wonderful privledge of building a relationship with Loma Linda University/UNAH Rehab Tech School over the last year. This is the therapy school were Nahum started his therapy schooling in March. It is one of the only Rehab Tech schools in Haiti and is a 18 month program where they learn OT and PT from professors from Loma Linda University in California. The professors come to Haiti to teach 1-2 week units/classes. They then complete 1-2 level 1 fieldworks and 3 3month rotations. I will be honest when I first heard about the program I was a little skeptical about how much these students could learn with only 9 months of in class studies...especially when they were learning OT and PT. 

The following information is taken from their website:

http://www.llu.edu/allied-health/sahp/haitirehabtech.page  

Rehabilitation Technician Certificate Program- Port-au-Prince Haiti

This program was established to train Haitian rehabilitation technicians in Haiti, who will serve to rehabilitate persons with disabilities back into Haitian society.  The Training is provided at Hopital Adventiste d' Haiti, a sister hospital of Loma Linda University Medical Center and is taught in conjunction with The School of Allied Health Professions at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda California, USA. 

Haiti currently has no rehabilitation services established. With an estimated 4,000 individuals with quake related limb amputations and thousands more with permanent physical injuries after the 7.0 Earthquake in January 2010, the need for more rehabilitation technicians is great.  This program is the first of its kind to train rehabilitation technicians established in Haiti.

About the program

This program began in June 2012 and has been approved by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education.  This is a nine month program that includes lectures and hands on learning.  The class is limited to 8-16 students per year.

Topics for the program include:

Intro to Rehabilitation Services
Medical Terminology and Documentation
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Infectious Disease & the Healthcare Provider
Orthopaedic Interventions for PT and OT
Acute Care and Early Rehabilitation
Cardiopulmonary Care
Intervention Techniques for Independence in Self Care
Adaptation & Implementation of Devices
Mobility, Transfers, Accessibility
Wound Care
Neurological Interventions for PT and OT
Pediatric Interventions for PT and OT
Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation and Splinting
Community Based Rehab
Introduction to Orthotics and Prosthetics Services
Psychosocial Aspects in Healthcare
Ethics and Whole Patient Care
Current Issues in Healthcare

About the Instructors

Teachers for this program have expertise in course topics.  Many are current faculty members from Loma Linda University who will travel to Haiti for one to two week time periods to teach in the program.  Translators will be utilized if English is the primary mode of communication for the Instructor.

So in March when I took my first level 2 fieldwork student Johnson to supervise for his 3 month internship, I was not sure what to expect...what I was getting myself into BUT I was pleasantly surprised by how much knowledge base he had! 

In June I took my second student Carlos to supervise for his 3 month internship. I immediately saw his heart for children and this gift he had. The kids & staff quickly fell in love with him & he had such an eagerness to learn.

Being a fieldwork supervisor in Haiti was very challenging because of the language barrier but so rewarding at the same time. My heart is to train nationals to be therapists and my dream has always been to have Haitian students...

In September I had the priveledge to go down to PAP for their graduation. I was very thankful that Nicholson was able to go with me (as he was applying to get into the program for next year). As I sat their and watched them graduate I could not have been more proud of their hard work & excited to see what God had in store for each of them.

The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and all those who spoke & shared did a great job encouraging the students and spoke truth into them. The emphasized message of graduation was on using their gifts/talents for the Lord and how they are dedicating their lives to a life of service through therapy...to help those in need.

I kept thinking...Graduation is a time to celebrate anywhere...but I felt like especially in Haiti where so many never to get to go to elementary school, let alone finish high school and to graduate from college...not only that but this program is very difficult to get into...they have around 100 applicants each year and only take 12-15 students each year...Each of the students on that stage graduating conquered many hurdles to be on that stage...they studied their butts off the last 18 months and they were walking across that stage different people

Johnson at graduation...receiving diploma

One of my absolute favorite parts of the entire ceremony was the candlelight ceremony. The class of graduating class all lit their candles and walked across the stage and lit one of the students candles from the 2015 graduating class. That symbolism was so powerful!

It was closely followed by the music. The music sung & played throughout the ceremony was well...AWSOME. I took a few videos I will try to post below....

It was such a Joy for me to see Nahum, to talk with him and be able to tell how much he has already learn in his first 6 months of schooling and to see his passion for therapy & helping others grow!

Nahum getting his candle lit, then with Nicholson & I and finally in his class picture after graduation

This is one of my favorite pictures from graduation...Nahum was my first therapy assistant and Nicholson my current therapy assistant. My heart is so warm knowing that Nahum is in school now and Nicholson will start in march. I could not be happier knowing that they both are receiving further education & training in therapy and will be able to change Haiti with the gifts/talents God has given them as they follow his call!

This is the Graduating Classes Group Picture after graduation

This is next years graduating classes class photo (Nahum's graduating class)

As I went back to the hotel after graduation I was overwhelmed with so many emotions reflecting on the day...Reflecting on the fact that today was a dream come true...I started reflecting back on my journey in Haiti...

FLASHBACK…..

When I was 12 and went on my first mission trip to Mexico I felt the call to do missions. It wasn’t until 2007 (when I was 20yrs) God called me to use my major of OT in service to him. When God called me in 2007 to fight for 14 children with special needs in a small orphanage I could never have imagined the journey it would take me on and where I would be today.

2008

CLICK HERE: To see YOUTUBE video of my Haiti Journey

Some days I can’t believe that God has enabled and allowed me to build up a therapy program at the Miriam Center, that I would have a therapy clinic running daily servicing the 40 children that live at the Miriam Home and 45+ children with special needs from the community as well. That he has blessed me with a partnership with a Rehab Technician Program in Haiti supervising students for their clinicals. That I would have a therapy assistant that after working a year at the Miriam Center would fall in love with therapy & want to go to school to become a therapist. Some days I just stand in Awe of God.

It was in 2009 when I felt called and realized the need to train the momma’s (Miriam center staff) to do simple therapy techniques with the kids and the need to train natives to be therapists. In 2010 I focused on increasing activities for the kids and doing evaluations on all the kids & starting therapy with them

CLICK HERE: To see YOUTUBE Video Haiti 2010

In 2011 I was able to hire Nahum as my first therapy assistant and spent 3 months training him to do therapy with the kids. By training him I left Haiti with a peace knowing the kids would continue to receive the therapy they needed even when I was not able to be there to provide it.

CLICK HERE: YOUTUBE VIDEO 2011 TRAINING NAHUM

 In 2012 I started training the Momma’s of the Miriam Home  and helped Heather (another missionary at the Miriam Center) set up a preschool for the severe & profound children. and I focused on educating and training the outreach families to be more hands on with their kids through simple therapy techniques they could do at home.

CLICK HERE: To see the FJS Outreach Video 2012

CLICK HERE: To see the Preschool Video

I have come to realize my time in Haiti cannot make an ultimate impact unless I am training natives to carry it on. Not to mention that the need is so great that I cannot even make a dent into the need BUT if I train others and help others to get an education in therapy.

In 2009 I had a dream of opening a therapy school in Haiti that would train natives because at the time I did not know of any programs in Haiti. In 2011-2012 I started to do A LOT more research as I knew Nahum really would like to further his education & get more training in therapy. Through my research I first came across a school but was disappointed when after further research found out the school had closed. I was very excited to later find a Rehab Tech program that had recently opened in PAP that a university in California Loma Linda University had opened in partnership with UNAH university in Haiti to train students in both Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT). It was only a 18 month program as well. Nahum applied and got accepted into the program. He started his school in March 2014 and will graduate in September 2015.

Loma Linda contacted me about a year ago to see if I would be a clinical supervisor for students for their level 2 3 month rotations. I was hesitant at first because I was not sure how much they could really learn in 9 months of class being taught both OT & PT. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed at how much my students knew, the amount of information they learned in a short amount of time, and their ability to apply it. The Miriam Center was very blessed to have Carlos and Johnson complete their internships working with the children & their families.

When I returned to Haiti after my (thankfully) quick medical trip back to the states in August. I found out I was invited to attend Johnson and Carlos’s graduation in September in PAP at the university. At first I was not sure if I was going to be able to make the trip. First physically because the bus ride kills my jaw and almost always causes a flare up. Second I only had 10 weeks in Haiti to make sure everything was sustainable and able to run when I head back to the states for 4 months to work and supports raise. I also knew October was going to be crazy busy.

BUT…

I am so thankful I took the time to go. Was the bus ride extremely bumpy…yes, was it difficult to follow my dietary restrictions not being at my house…yes, was I away from the mission & my kiddos  for 4 days…yes, did my jaw act up as a result of the trip…yes BUT I was EXTREMELY blessed and encouraged in so many ways during the trip. Just a few ways I was blessed…

1. To got to see Carlos & Johnson graduate & be apart of their special day! So proud of both of them and all the hard work they put into their studies. I know that they will both make good therapists! The ceremony was beautiful.

2. To learn that the university is a Christian university that teaches and reinforces the importance of service & being the hands & feet of Jesus to those you work with.

3. To get to spend time with Nicholson and Nahum- talking, playing basketball, helping Nicholson through the application process to get into school next year, observing Nahum during class, and seeing them both pursuing the calling God has given them.

4. Having the opportunity to talk with so many of the staff from the Loma Linda Program. Hearing how the program came about, their vision for the program, and success of it so far. Amazing group OT’s, PT’s and other staff that make it so the students thrive.

5. To observe a day of class when the pediatric PT was teaching and that they allowed not only me to sit in but Nicholson as well.

6. To hear from the staff at the university that Nahum is a star student and that Nicholson did great on his entrance exam to get in. The university is very hard to get into. They have around 100 applicants each year and only accept 16. I am so excited and feel so blessed that Nahum was accepted and is thriving in his schoolwork and that Nicholson has also been accepted into the program.

7. To begin talking to Carlos (one of my students) about what it would look like for him to come back and work at the Miriam Center. It is an EXCITING possibility to possibly hire a certified/trained therapist who I already know loves the kids, works well with the kids & staff and is passionate about what he does.

I had the wonderful privledge of spending 4 days in PAP attending graduation, meeting staff/faculty from the school, & even observing Nahum during a day of class. I was blessed to stay at the same hotel as some of the Universities staff. I really enjoyed talking to each of them & learning more about their stories & ministry call to Haiti. 

Dean of LLU, Johnson's friend, Johnson, Sondra (Directors Assistant), another friend, and Everette (director of program)

Sondra, Me & Everette on our last night at the hotel

Everette, Nicholson, Sondra, & Nahum

 The following are pictures from the day I spend observing Nahum in class & then lab. The class was pediatrics and these pictures are from their lab learning normal development of an infant month by month....

So thankful for this partnership with Loma Linda and for the opportunity for Nicholson & Nahum to get further education...I am thankful that I get to be a clinical supervisor and take fieldwork 1 and 2 students. 3 weeks after graduation I had 3 fieldwork 1 students from the school.
CLICK HERE: to read the blog about their time.

QUICK OVERVIEW LAST 4 MONTH HIGHLIGHTS...

The past 4 months in Haiti could be summed up in 2 words...”Training Nationals” or “Developing Sustainability”. This blogpost will give you a QUICK overview of a 4 month period. Each of the sections has its own blogpost if you return to my blog. So if any of these you would like to read more about & see more pictures you can!

 When I returned to Haiti after my unexpected visit to the states I jumped right back into supervising the last 3 weeks of My 2^nd student Carlos’s 3 month rotation.
I then spent a week re-evaluating, writing new treatment plans, & updating folders for the next 6-8 months to bring focus to therapy and for better therapy progress. 
I then traveled to PAP for 4 days to attend graduation for the 2 students from Rehabilitation Technician Program at Loma Linda University in partnership with UNAH.
Then I spend 3 days developing a training binder for the students that will also serve as a resource binder for them to take with them and help them down the road with pediatrics.

Then I had 3 students (Nahum, Patricia, and Joel) from The Rehab Tech program here for their level 1 pediatric clinical. I also had a young lady Laura working alongside me observing & learning about therapy to see if it was something she was interested in learning more about. My current assistant Nicholson has fallen in love with therapy and has been accepted into therapy school for next year and I will be needing a new therapy assistant that also speaks English. So lots of training happening with hopes to increase their skills & knowledge and empower them to provide care to those with special needs through their therapy skills.

The month of October was just as crazy busy but good. We had Phoenix Rising Orthopedic/Prosthetic/PT team come to be in PdP for a week and many of our kids at the MC and in the outreach program got to to be seen/treated by them and they have agreed to allow the students & I to come observe & learn. 

The next week the seizure team came

The following 2 weeks is the orthopedic surgery team. 

Brooke's Churches Team brought in a ton of adaptive equipment for the Miriam Center & I had the joy & privaledge of helping handing it out...

I am so thankful for all of these many medical opportunities to help improve the quality of life of the children & families we serve!

Orthopedic Surgery Week

One of my favorite weeks of the year is surgery team in October. This is the case for multiple reasons including:

~It is life changing for the people & their families who get surgery. 

~It is a chance for me to work alongside Dr. Del and learn 

~I know the difference it will have on my kids that need surgery & the new found independence it will provide them!

Sunday afternoon is always evaluation day. Everyone who might possibly get surgery comes and is evaluated by the surgeons & if surgery is needed they are given a surgery day & time the following week. Unfortunately there are always more people who need surgery then time available to do all the surgeries. I was more prepared this year with a notecard binder of all the referrals I had (including some of the outreach parents & siblings), Phoenix Rising had, and Sonlight had...In total about 30. I bounced back and forth between the 2 rooms where they were getting evaluated facilitating those on my list. I am very blessed that the surgeons always see those on my list first which guarantees if they need surgery there will still be space. I then stayed with Dr. Del as he evaluated the rest of the orthopedic cases. I was able to help out with fitting a boot, referring a couple kids to the Miriam Center to fit for AFO's, PVC pipe walkers, and 1 to the outreach program to receive therapy to be ready for surgery next october. 

I feel extremely blessed to have been able to walk through this process with the following outreach families. I would get up at 6:30 each morning one of the outreach kids had surgery (which was monday-thursday). I would help get them registered, help get them bathed and into the pre-op area, I would sit with them while they got their IV & the doctor & anestecia talked with them. I then would stay with the parent for a few minutes after their child was taken back to surgery and take them to the waiting area. I checked up on the surgeries & would let parents know the progress. I tried to be there when the child came out of surgery and when they were stable and ready I would bring the parents back to see them. 

Yveniaka

Monday Morning this sweet baby girl Yveniaka a 4 month old with 2 severe club feet underwent a 5 hour surgery to correct her foot deformity. At the Miriam Center we have been monitoring Yveniaka since she was a few days old. Her mother delivered her at the birthing center and the nurses there brought her to the Miriam Center for us to see. We had her mother bring her every few weeks so we could monitor her to make sure she was gaining weight and stayed healthy in preparation for surgery in October. 

Yveniaka's mom was having a really hard time with her going in for surgery (I would have to as a mother of a 4 month old) I knew Carlos (my Haitian Therapist) wanted to watch a surgery so I went and got him. He was very excited to go in for surgery and it made Yveniaka's mom feel better knowing he was in there watching. I sat with mom for a long time trying to comfort her and pray with her. 5 hours is such a long time to wait. One of my favorite moments was when Presidue went up to her and spoke truth into her, encouraged her and reminded her to fix her eyes on Christ and find peace in him knowing He has her little girl!

The surgery went GREAT! Mom and Dad were so glad to see her and love on her! What a beautiful family!

JOSEPH

Meet Joseph. He started pulling on my heart strings the first time I met him like 6 months ago. We have a little boy in our outreach program that comes all the way from Gwo Moun about 4 hours by tap-tap away. One day Joseph & his mom came with them. After outreach we evaluated him & I knew immediately how much he would benefit from therapy but unfortunately we have no space in outreach and with paying 1 way transportation I did not think I could pull off financially slipping him into the program as that would be $9US each week. I was able to provide him with a set of AFO's and a PVC pipe walker. And spent a few minutes educating his mother. His mother was persistent. She called every week to ask if a spot opened up. One week she made the drive to ask in person. It was that day when I realized he was a candidate for surgery...I was torn...I put the need out to my facebook friends and immediately got a response. Because of their generosity I had raised enough $ to cover 6 months of transportation for therapy. So I was able to tell his mother that is he was evaluated for surgery and surgery was necessary that we could enter him into the program and provide the follow up therapy he would need. She knew coming into the surgery that he would require ALOT of therapy post surgery and that if she was not dedicated & willing to work with him everyday at home and make that long trip 1x a week for him to receive therapy at the Miriam Center that he could end up having less function after surgery but if she did all the above that he could walk! She was on board and wanted Joseph to receive the surgery. 

Joseph was evaluated by Dr. Del on Sunday and he indeed did say that he was a candidate for surgery. 

Then on Tuesday Morning he was scheduled for surgery. They spent Sunday & Monday night at the Miriam Center instead of making the long drive back home to return in less than a day. So First thing Tuesday morning we got ready for surgery. 

I stayed back from the outreach outing to the beach and since we did not have the therapy clinic open (since all the staff were at the beach) I decided to spend the day in the ER :-)

He did GREAT with his surgery! I learned during his recovery period that he has quite the personality and LOVES to sing worship songs to God!!!! He was released from recovery Wednesday but we weren't sure he was ready for a 4 hour tap-tap ride. So Presidue arranged for them to stay with another one of the outreach families that lived close by for a couple nights and then went home to Gwo Moun on Friday. I am excited to work with this family over the next year. 

ADAM's Brother

Adam's brother (Adam's is apart of the thursday outreach) needed a minor surgery. We were able to help facilitate him getting it Tuesday Morning as well. 

WILDENS 

Wildens has been in our outreach program for the last year and a half. He has a mother who loves him so incredibly much and has sacraficed so much to love him, take care of him, and fight for him. October 2013 he was diagnosed with Arthrogryposis and Dr. Del told his mom he would need 3 surgeries on his legs. Even with these surgeries there is no guarantee he will stand or walk. His surgery last year went really well and mom has been faithfully bringing him to outreach each week and definitely working with him at home. Wildens before this surgery was standing with a PVC pipe stander and AFO's and with assistance from his mom for the first time able to bend his knees and kneel! 

On Sunday Wildens was re-evlauated by Dr. Del. Who decided to do surgery on both of his knees this year. He had surgery on Tuesday morning. 

Tuesday morning Wilden's & his mom arrived bright & early to register and get ready for surgery. 

I had the joy of walking with mom through the morning all the way to him going back for surgery. Mom and Wilden's were both troopers...Mom kept praising God for the opportunity for her son to get the needed surgery.

Wilden's maintained a smile...as long as he was in his momma's arms. I have never seen a stronger bond between a child & their mom...

Wilden's surgery went really well. Dr. Del even decorated his casts!

His mom was relieved when he came out of surgery and beyond ready to hold her son and comfort him. She did not leave his side the entire day and half they were in recovery. It is a beautiful thing to watch her take care and love on her son. What a testament she it!

MADAME SENELISE

Madame Senelise has worked in the Miriam Center for at least 4 years but may be very well even longer than that. She has such a sweet, tender spirit. This Godly women of God lives back in the Gran Moun but would climb up the hill each day to help out with the itty-bits in the Miriam Home. She had a Hernia Surgery in June but unfortunately it did not heal well and she needed to have another surgery this past October. I had the privlidge of helping her get ready for surgery, praying with her before she went in and tried to comfort her after. I am definitely blessed to know & be apart of her life. 

WOODY

Meet Woody...

He has quite the story & God was definitely watching over this little boy!!!! So Tuesday of surgery week I stayed back from the FJS Outreach Beach Trip because I was not completely healthy & I knew the beach trip would take alot our of me. So instead I participated in surgeries instead. We had just finished a surgery around 12PM and I decided to walk through the birdcage on the way to lunch to say hi to all the outreach families that went to beach. Their was on family I did not recognize but I kinda walked past them and greeted each of the families & loved on the kids. As I was getting ready to leave all the outreach mom's grabbed my arm and told me I needed to look at this boy. Immediately they stripped on his pants so I could watch him walk and see that their was a problem with his leg. He definitely walked with a limp. I asked how long he had been limping for. They said he was a normal developing kid till about 6 months ago. He was walking and then suddenly fell and ever since had walked with a limp. Since Dr. Del was in at the mission I decided to have him take a look. I knew he was headed up to lunch and so had him look on his way. I am so thankful he was willing to take the time to look. Neither of us knew what we were getting ourselves into...

Dr. Del agreed that it was probably a dislocation or maybe a leg discrepancy. He decided to send them to get an x-ray. We then found out they came all the way from 4+ hours away but that they had family in PdP. We told them to go get the x-ray then bring it back and we would look at it that day. 

We went on with our day of surgeries. We went back into surgery after lunch with 1 or 2 more surgeries. I can't remember exactly. I remember I left the surgery for some reason and ran to my house. On the way I saw them sitting in the birdcage area with the x-ray so I grabbed the x-ray to take it back to Dr. Del to look at. I decided to take a sneak peak at it and immediately knew something was very wrong with the bone...it looked like a sponge or swiss cheese. I got sterile again & went back into the surgery room with the x-ray & put it up on the x-ray board. All I remember is Dr. Del looking and stopping...and just staring...He then stated that this is not good at all...this boy is going to die if we don't do anything and even if we do...this surgery would be high risk in the states let alone in Haiti...He didn't even know if we could do this surgery in Haiti...and if we did choose to do it we would have to bump someone else out a surgery spot...so many factors...so many unknowns and a possible deadly diagnosis....definitely not what any of us expected from a boy that had such a HUGE smile and was a happy little guy!

It turns out he has some infection that has been eating away at his none to the point I then asked Dr. Del what information we needed to have before we could make a decision. We needed to now if we could cross match blood to find a match in case he needed blood. He would need strong IV antibiotics for 3 weeks followed by 3 weeks of strong oral antibiotics to kill this infection (of unknown origin). He would need to stay on campus for 3 weeks. We also needed bloodwork done to see what his blood levels were and the level of infection....

So I left surgery and started working on getting this information. It turns out we were unable to find a place nearby to cross-match blood, and we could get bloodwork at night but it would cost a ton of $, and he could stay in a room in the Birthing Center for the 3 weeks of IV antibiotics and we could find strong enough IV antibiotics.

By devotion time that evening it was decided regardless if Woody was going to have a shot at life we would need to do this surgery. Dr. Del had decided to do it without access to blood and we ended up doing the bloodwork in the morning. By the time all these decisions were made Woody and his family ended up spending the night at the Miriam Center because it was to late to travel to PdP and they had to be here by 6:30AM to start getting ready for surgery. 

At 6:30AM Wednesday morning we started getting him registered and ready for his life saving surgery. He got bloodwork drawn, got all the paperwork filled out, and all the pre-op procedures completed...

I could tell he was really nervous and so I went to my room and got the IPAD. It was a big hit! He had many of the nurses, doctors, and even a few kids from the short-term teams come and play with him!

With this being a high risk surgery...Their was a big possibility he could bleed out on the table... lots of prayers...lots of preparations...lots of extra measures were taken to ensure he had every chance possible to survive and thrive through this surgery. He did have many things on his side...

1. LOTS and LOTS of people praying

2. An AMAZINGLY gifted surgeon and Anestesiologist with years of experience.

3. State of the Art surgical equipment by Haiti standards

4. A sterile facility to have surgery in since one of the biggest concerns with the surgery was infection.

5. A loving family to support him after surgery

The surgery went well. We monitored blood loss closely. Dr. Del felt that he was able to get most of the big areas of infection out of the bone. The infection had eaten away at the entire hip joint and had spread down the bone most of the way to the knee. He was even able to go in from the front which made it so Woody did not need to be put in a body cast. A drain was put in for 1 day to help with drainage.

This was an extremely painful procedure and of course Woody woke up with a BIG smile

He enjoyed playing with some bubbles...listening to music on my phone...

His mom never left his side...

Talk about a crazy adventure for this family...they came hoping to get their sons leg looked at. They had no idea that their was a surgery team and certainly had no idea their son would need a life-saving surgery. They did not come prepared to stay for over 3 weeks BUT they did! His family took great care of him. 

One of the really cool things was watching the surgery team pull together and donate funds to make sure woody got 3 weeks of super nutritious meals to help with his healing, they bought all the medications and we were able to pay for their trip back home...

I had the joy the first week and a half he was at the mission taking him his meals throughout the day and providing him with some entertainment. He loves to play the IPAD and watch DVD's. I did my best to spoil him ;-) Woody is doing great. This video was taken last week when he headed home. He is walking on his leg with no pain. He will always walk with a limp but the incredible thing is he is alive and he should live a happy life!

This little cute pie had surgery last october to correct 2 severe club feet. I remember seeing her and playing with her on evaluation day. Erin Drescher was holding her and helping her (pretend) to kick the soccer ball then chasing the ball around. The thing I remember most is her huge smile and giggle. I had the priviledge of fitting her with AFO's and getting her a PVC pipe walker to help her gain more independence. Her family also asked if they could put their name on the waiting list for the outreach program.

Well...That is just a glimpse into surgery week...As you can tell God did some incredible things and I feel blessed to have been apart of it....